Disclaimer: By now you should get the idea that I don't own Digimon. Don't sue me for writing fan fics. There, now that that's out of the way, enjoy the fic!

Note: If words are in [], it means that people (or Digimon) are communicating mentally.



Nightmares Come True VIII


Matt could hear TK screaming in pain as he kicked him again and again. He wanted so badly to stop, but the more he resisted, the more forceful the kicks became.

Abruptly, the brutality on his younger brother ended. Matt took this opportunity to break through Shiftumon's control.

He gasped: "TK, I'm sorry." It was hard for him to speak; he was forcing the words to come. "Please forgive me for-AHHHH!" His apology was cut short when Shiftumon wrenched control of his body away from him, the terrible cold returning.

The attack resumed on TK. [You'll be even more sorry once I get through with him], Shiftumon crowed to Matt.

[Leave him alone! Stop it!] Matt screamed back, desperately.

Shiftumon paused, then made Matt walk away from the broken, battered TK and walk instead toward Mimi.

Mimi was still unconscious.

[Don't hurt any of my friends!] Matt pleaded as he was forced to kneel down next to Mimi. Matt could only watch as Shiftumon made his hands touch Mimi's bloody shoulder in mock concern.

Shiftumon took great pleasure in Matt's pleas and suddenly forced him to hit Mimi as hard as he possibly could.

[NO! Don't hurt her!] Matt cried out, but to no avail. The beating continued until Shiftumon grew tired of hurting Mimi and decided to find another victim.

Matt walked over to Tai.

[Hmmmm. He's blind, is he? And a broken arm? This should be fun] Shiftumon stated as he forced Matt to bend Tai's broken arm behind his back, twisting it.

The pain was so intense it brought Tai out of his unconsciousness screaming. He tried to get away, but the more he struggled, the more unbearable the pain became.

Matt suddenly realized he was speaking out loud, though not of his own accord. It was Shiftumon's doing.

"You made such a crappy leader, Tai. I swear, why did you think you could boss us all around? Well, look who's right now. Oh, I forgot you can't see," his voice mocked. "So who is this? Can you tell?"

Tai didn't reply. He forced himself to stay still.

"What's the matter, fearless leader? Scared?" Shiftumon added, still using Matt's voice. He twisted Tai's arm even more.

Tai couldn't hold his cries of pain back any longer. He screamed and struggled to get free of the horrible pain, making the pain intensify.

"Answer me! Who's winning now?" Matt's voice roared.

"M-matt, why are you doing this?" Tai muttered.

Shiftumon laughed and Matt took the opportunity to say: "it's not my fault. I'm sorry," before Shiftumon regained control.

"Shut up, boy!" Shiftumon screamed, though now in his own voice instead of Matt's.

"Who are you? What did you do to my friends?" Tai demanded, still feebly struggling against Shiftumon/Matt's grip.

Shiftumon realized his mistake instantly and said once again in Matt's voice: "just me, Tai. Looks like you lose" before throwing Tai by his broken arm across the room. He fell, unconscious to the ground.

[Now you will suffer for attempting to defy me] Shiftumon hissed.

The cold feeling that Matt had had ever since Shiftumon had gained control of him suddenly intensified before he felt a mental pain that made him scream in agony. It happened again and again, leaving Matt even weaker than before.

The pain quickly left Matt and Shiftumon forced him to brutalize all the other Digidestined as he pleased until he came to Izzy.

"So this is the boy that that fool Retimon was so worried about. He doesn't look like anything special to me," Shiftumon muttered aloud.


~*~

Retimon felt as though he were made of stone. His eyes felt so heavy, his wings, like marble. He had heard screaming.

I must open my eyes, he thought. He forced his weighted eyelids open to see one of the children standing over the child of Knowledge.

"So this is the boy that that fool Retimon was so worried about. He doesn't look like anything special to me," the boy said-but something wasn't right. His voice didn't sound like his own... It sounded like Shiftumon's.

Retimon's eyes started to close, but he forced them open, trying to figure out what was going on and breaking through his muddled thoughts.

He saw the boy raising his hand above Knowledge. Clasped in his hand was a sharp rock.

Shiftumon... Rock... Death... Who...? his thoughts were jumbled, but somehow he managed to pick something out: Shiftumon was controlling the boy-he was possessing the boy and now he was trying to kill Knowledge.

Retimon forced his heavy wings to move and he choked: "sniper's light." Nothing happened.

I'm too weak, he thought. He watched as the boy's hand began drawing closer to Knowledge's neck.

I won't let him do this. Shiftumon may have beaten me, but he won't walk away from this alive, Retimon decided.

Again, he forced his wings to move and with every ounce of strength he possessed, shouted: "sniper's light!"

The silvery jet of light rushed from his wings straight at the boy. The final thing Retimon saw before his eyes closed forever was the light hitting the boy...


~*~

Matt felt something hit him in the back and could have cheered as he dropped the rock. Even though it hurt, the attack seemed to hurt Shiftumon in the extreme.

[Looks like you lose!] Matt happily cried.

[I may die, but I'll take you with me!] Shiftumon screamed.

Matt felt a terrible pain in the back of his head.

[No, you won't! I won't let you!] Matt screamed. [Get out of me!]

Shiftumon's thoughts were becoming transparent. Matt could see everything Shiftumon knew. One thing interested him. He'd seen it only for a brief moment, but he knew what he had to do. If he could get Shiftumon out of his body, he would survive-and his friends would be healed.

Matt concentrated all his energy into driving Shiftumon away, but he felt the pain increasing in his mind.

[I will not leave you!] Shiftumon screamed.

[And I won't let you win!] Matt answered back. [Now GET OUT!]

Then Matt saw a flash of white light and he passed out...